Jumping Off The Cliff Called Parenthood
by myfriendfiction
Summary: Follow Ben and Leslie's journey to becoming parents. The story chronicles every important moment between Ben and Leslie centering around family, from how they felt about having a family to planning to expand their family to Leslie finally saying "Well, buddy I have some good news for you." There are also some easter eggs concerning triplets scattered throughout the story.


_This story is my attempt to rectify the timeline for Leslie getting pregnant. Parks timeline is pretty messed up so I tried my best to satisfy my own mind. Anyways, this story deals with how Ben and Leslie feel about having a family, when they're single, to them discussing having a family to them planning when to expand their family. The story chronicles every significant moment involving family-from when they were friends to dating to after they got married. I also have a few easter eggs concerning triplets scattered throughout the story._

 ** _Jumping off the Cliff Called Parenthood_**

 _Life's Path_

"When are you going to have a baby?" was constantly the question on everyone's lips, especially when you got married in your late thirties. They were asked by their mothers, the mayor, coworkers, acquaintances, The Langman's, and even complete strangers. When Leslie and Ben were single they had watched high school and college friends get married and have children. Leslie once had to dance to Single Ladies alone at the wedding of an ex and Ben once had to sit at the children's table at the wedding of an old friend. The finding your soulmate part of life seemed to either be taking forever or not in the cards for them. They had both become comfortable with the fact that marriage and children might not be their path. It seemed to be passing them by. They weren't hopeless. Leslie still went on dates even though she had experienced more than her fair share of humiliating breakups and Ben still accepted the many awkward set ups Chris arranged. Leslie found great joy in organizing activities for the children of Pawnee and Ben enjoyed the time he spent with the kids of his brother and sister. They both felt that if marriage and or family presented itself they would be grateful but if those things never came to fruition they would still be happy. Leslie would be happy with her beloved Parks department and nurturing her coworkers and hometown and Ben would be satisfied with atoning for his Icetown sin and he hoped when the time was right he would move on from that to another path in his career. So when Ben and Leslie finally took that leap and threw bureaucratic caution to the wind and came clean about their relationship they knew it was it. They were "it" for each other. One didn't put their career in jeopardy or resign in disgrace for a relationship they were not sure of, at least Ben and Leslie didn't. They were comfortable with each other, understood each other, and had similar goals and morals. They always looked forward to just talking to the other person. Of course, the path had some obstacles. But Ben and Leslie learned that they would embark on life's challenges and triumphs together. They would hold hands and jump off cliffs together and they couldn't imagine it happening any other way.

 _Second Impression_

"Why'd you do this?" Leslie asked.

"I'm not a monster. I want the kids to have their concert," Ben responded.

"Ahh, so Mean Ben has a soft spot." Leslie declared.

"Maybe he's not so bad after all," Leslie thought to herself as she walked away.

 _Getting to Know You_

As Leslie and Ben walked through the Harvest Festival relief rushed through their bodies. The generator and curse crisis had been managed. Attendance was even going better than projected.

"This is just like the Harvest Festival when I was a kid," Leslie remarked, "Except I might even say this one is better. This one is totally better."

"We use to have a harvest type festival in my hometown," Ben remarked.

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah, it wasn't anywhere near as big as this. It was basically a few rides, ferris wheel, ice carving contest, ice skating contest, pie baking contest, and lumber jack competition."

"That is so Minnesota."

"Yeah, it really is. Later there was even a Prince lookalike contest and Prince Karaoke. Oh, and by the way this is very Indiana. All the corn dishes, fried foods, corn eating contests, taxidermy competition, butter and corn carving contest. Ice carving contest isn't sounding so bad to you now, uh?" Ben teased Leslie.

"Okay, okay. I'll give you the ice carving competition," Leslie bantered back.

"What was your favorite ride as a kid on three?" Leslie asked.

"One, two, three."

"Ferris Wheel because you can see the whole town," both Ben and Leslie responded at the same time resulting in another one of their intricate high fives.

"So does this sound good for my follow up interview about the Harvest Festival with Shana Malwae Tweep? Potential Headlines: Harvest Festival Brings Out the Kid In Us All, Come Relive Your Childhood At Pawnee's Newly Relaunched Harvest Festival, Harvest Festival Comes Back Full Force, Revisit a Beloved Pawnee Tradition While Making New Memories With Your Family, or Pawnee Harvest Festival Is The Most Happening Thing in All of Indiana?"

By this time the two had stopped walking and stood in front of the livestock showcase where everyone around them was marveling at a set of triplet cows.

"Doesn't the reporter usually come up with the headline?" Ben asked.

"Yeah, but I always like to suggest some. I mean if I'm being featured in the interview the headline is part of the story I figure. And I just really want to encapsulate what this is all about," Leslie explained as she spread her arms out to emphasize the scope of the festival.

"This newspaper article about the festival will be put away in people's scrapbooks, future Parks employees will read it when planning future Harvest Festivals, and people that didn't attend will read it and wish that they had come."

"Well, I think some of those headlines are probably a bit long but they encapsulate the essence of the festival," Ben replied with a smile.

"So," Leslie beamed, "Now for what I should talk about in the interview. I really want it to focus on the success of the Harvest Festival but also on why these types of events are important. I mean, my grandparents use to take my parents to the Harvest Festival, my parents took me, and I would…do the same…... Anyways, I got to give it back to the town. Events like this create a town's identity and make it feel like a community. Every seven year old in Pawnee this year will remember riding their first roller coaster here, teenagers will remember good times with friends before leaving for college, parents will remember the joy on their kids' faces, and just…..," Leslie's voice grew softer, "WE got to give this to every person that walks through those gates. Shared memories that took place in their very own town. And that's what it's all about."

"Yeah, I get what you mean." And Ben really did understand what Leslie meant. For he too had known what it was for your hometown to be the center of your world, to think you lived in a really special place, to share memories with your family and friends that you would cherish forever. He understood what it was like to have your hometown in the foreground of your childhood memories and to feel like it would be in the background of the memories your adult self would make with your own family. Of course, things had changed for Ben and his hometown was a subject he tried to not think of and avoid. But looking around at Pawnee's Harvest Festival he felt something. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. He felt nostalgic, in a good way, for his own childhood in a small quirky Midwestern town. He didn't feel like a total outsider as he stood among Pawnee's citizens and he felt the success of building something. And he maybe even felt, hope, hope for the future.

 _New Relationship_

"Sorry that took so long," Ben apologized as he walked back into Leslie's living room and sat beside her where they had been watching CSPAN in between making out.

"That was your mom?"

"Yeah."

"Is she excited about your brother's new baby?"

"Oh, yeah. This is my little brother's first baby and my younger sister has three kids. But my mom is just as excited for this one as she was the first grandkid."

"Aww, that's nice."

"You're an only child, right? Or do you have a Filipino sibling that works at city hall with your same last name?" Ben joked.

"No, I'm an only child," Leslie said as she laughed and grabbed the pillow behind her to swat Ben with it.

"My mother has pseudo-adopted my cousin's kids as her grandkids. She sends me lots of pictures of her spending time with them and captions that are supposed to make me feel bad," Leslie thought aloud.

"My mom tells people I'm focusing on my career," Ben mused aloud.

They shared a shy smile in understanding and then they both racked their brain to try and change the subject as it was bordering on a topic that, while they were post bubble, was not appropriate to have during your secret forbidden relationship phase that would be ending soon because one of you was going to run for office. You don't talk about the subject of "kids" since future families aren't created by having a secret forbidden relationship even if it was with someone that appreciated Eleanor Roosevelt as much as you.

 _On the Same Page_

"I really love the ad," Leslie said as she situated herself on Ben's lap.

"I do too," Ben concurred.

"See what happens when we compromise?"

"We're a good team."

"We're a great team," Leslie corrected.

Ben laughed to himself.

"Hmmm?"

"I was thinking about you as a little kid knowing all about residential property taxes."

"You wouldn't have?" Leslie questioned.

"No, at least not until, like junior high."

"I guess you were too busy playing with Star Wars action figures."

"Yeah. But I do remember creating my own political figures cards, like baseball cards but for political figures. Of course I couldn't trade them with anyone because no one else had them nor wanted them."

"Did you make a Geraldine Ferrero one?

"I did," Ben answered to which Leslie beamed.

"I made political action figures. I glued pictures of their heads on popsicle sticks including Geraldine Ferrero. I was Abraham Lincoln for Halloween."

"So was I!" Ben confessed.

"I still have the costume!" they both exclaimed at the same time as they smiled gleefully at one another wrapped up in the never ending things they had in common. They leaned in for a kiss and went back to contently watching the news.

"Would you ever want to have kids one day?" Leslie quietly asked.

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

 _Glimpses at Our Future_

"Kids, give them your card," Stephanie reminded her three kids: Elizabeth was 7, Katie was 5, and Wyatt was 3.

Leslie and Ben had just arrived at his sister Stephanie's house. Introductions and hugs had gone around. Ben was receiving the Key to Partridge and Leslie was seeing his hometown for the first time. Ben was nervous the ceremony was all a rouse to pelt him with things but he was excited to see his family.

"This card is for you Aunt Leslie and this one is for you Uncle Ben," Katie explained.

Elizabeth carefully and slowly read the cards to them. Ben's was a congratulations card on receiving the key to the city and Leslie's said "Welcome to Partridge."

"Aww," Leslie said as tears began to spill from her eyes. "I'm an aunt!" Leslie exclaimed as she hugged the girls in thanks.

"I mean we've skyped before but it's so nice to meet you all. You're my first nieces and nephew and we are going to have so much fun!" Leslie said from her place eye level with the kids before standing and grasping little Wyatt's hand from his place in his mother's arms.

"Do you want to see my toys?" Katie asked.

"I would love too," Leslie said and they were off.

The next day Leslie had volunteered herself and Ben to watch the kids so Stephanie and her husband, Hunter, could go to dinner and a movie. Leslie and Ben took the kids to the park, Leslie made them breakfast for dinner, waffles in the shape of flowers and dinosaurs, played, and took part in getting to know you activities and crafts that Leslie had organized. Ben thought to himself that Leslie was like a Mary Poppins of sorts. She always seemed to pull binders, gifts, and crafts out of a bag that seemed to have no bottom.

After the kids were soundly asleep, right on the dot for bedtime, Ben and Leslie sat on the couch in the living room of the quiet house.

"Well, I'd say we had a pretty successful evening," Leslie declared as she took Ben's hand in hers.

"Yep, they're all in bed on time and asleep with a minute to spare. Go team us."

"We're a great team. We're like Bill and Hillary, that Jamaican bobsled team, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, adenine and thymine in DNA, FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jefferson and Madison all rolled into one."

"Ok," Ben stated with a smile as Leslie smiled back at him. They both fell asleep about ten minutes later.

Coming home for Ben and for Leslie seeing where her husband's past laid had made them both a bit nostalgic of the past but mostly it made them look forward to the future; their future together, reminded them the importance of family, and what home really meant.

 _Family, Friends, Waffles, and Work is Fourth_

"Maybe we should take a real day off and talk about starting our own family."

"Uh, mm, yeah. I mean that sounds perfect," Ben replied with a smile on his face.

 _The Family Planning Session_

"Alright, it is 10:30 am that means Family Planning Session 1 is in progress. Here's your binder," Leslie beamed as she pulled out a binder, from where, Ben didn't know. They were sitting across from each other at their kitchen table as if they were at a business meeting.

"Okay," Ben said sounding surprised though he should not have been. Obviously Leslie would have a binder for something as important as starting their family.

Leslie always seemed to pull binders out of nowhere. They both had the day off to spend together and talk about expanding their family. The kickoff event of the day had been a "Teambuilding Exercise" followed by News and Waffles and a preview of the Itinerary from 6-8 a.m. Leslie also assigned each of them to draw a picture of what they imagined their future family looking like. To their delight they had each drawn two kids. Ben's drawing was pretty simple, after all, Leslie had said to draw a quick sketch. Leslie's quick sketch had taken fifteen minutes. Leslie had drawn the future Knope Wyatts in front of the White House. She had drawn Ben standing sideways because his "butt should be depicted in all art forms no matter the purpose." Her picture also included a park, a small Joe Biden waving from a window of the White House, a dog and a cat, and a statue of Lil Sebastian.

"Now, first we have to discuss the sections in the binder. I was thinking Dreams/Goals, Finances, The Family Plan, Medical History, Pregestational Plan, Gestational Plan, and Post Gestational Plan. Do you see any sections that should be amended or added in any way?"

"No," Ben replied.

"Aww, babe we are so in sync."

During their planning session they decided that they wanted to trade Leslie's car in before they had a baby since it was getting older, they wanted to try and buy the house they were living in within the next year, and they made a list of things they wanted to experience with their child (for Leslie it was things like take your kid to work day, make waffles, arts and crafts, and Julie Andrews movies and for Ben it was things like watch Star Wars, make sure he or she does not run for mayor before 30, and watch Enchanted because that movie was amazing). They also determined they had no genetic diseases in their family history and reaffirmed that they would really like to have two kids. Ben loved growing up with siblings and Leslie was an only child that had always wished she had a sibling. The only thing left to discuss was when they were to expand their family.

"So, by the time we trade my car in, buy our house, maybe do some traveling, and it'd be nice to have the baby while city council is out of session, taking all of that into account puts on a timeframe of starting to try to get pregnant around….our 1st wedding anniversary. What do you think?"

"That sounds like a good plan, timing wise and everything," Ben agreed.

"In the meantime, I'll also have to go to the doctor and make sure it's all good and yeah. I'll have to start weaning myself off of caffeine. That's what Ann is doing now. Switching to decaf is going to be very difficult. I'm not looking forward to that."

"I'll switch to decaf with you for solidarity."

"Aww, you are the sweetest man."

"Wow, in about a year and a half from now we could not be getting sleep from a newborn and not from me waking you up to draw you into my elaborate plans for stuff and or my sleep talking."

"Yeah, wow," Ben said with a smile as he leaned over the kitchen table to kiss his wife.

They were interrupted by an alarm on Leslie's cell phone.

"It is 11:30 a.m. time for lunch at JJ's. Shall we?" Leslie asked as she stood up and offered Ben her hand.

"Let's go," Ben declared as he took Leslie's hand and stood up pulling her in for a kiss.

"After this is game time. I thought we could play Life. It seems appropriate for the theme of our day off."

"Ahh, clever. I remember you lost last time we played because you went bankrupt after you got saddled with triplets," Ben said as they walked out the door. They both laughed.

 _Dreaming of Future Plans_

"I'm so excited for Ann. I already started a binder with baby shower ideas," Leslie said beaming as she pulled a binder out of seemingly nowhere.

"Yeah," Ben agreed from his spot beside Leslie on their bed, "When Chris told me he was literally jumping up and down like he was on a trampoline. Then he had to go run a mile to work some of the excitement out. I hadn't even gotten the word congratulations out before he took off running."

"When I stopped by Ann's earlier Chris was making her one of those green health yucky swamp water looking drinks. Needless to say I didn't stay long." Leslie sighed beside Ben and laid her head down on his shoulder.

"With Ann getting pregnant and everything it just makes me really look forward to when that's us. We can raise our kids together. Ann kind of screwed up the timeline by getting pregnant before she got married. But by the time she has this baby I'll hopefully be pregnant with ours so they won't be too far apart in age. Or maybe she'll quickly get pregnant with her second kid while I'm pregnant with our first kid. Or we both get pregnant with our second kid at the same time. Lots of specifics to work out. Anyways, just think of the birthday parties and visits to the parks. We can take family vacations together Ben! To National Parks! Our kids could grow up together and marry each other. Ann and I would be related then! What would we be? Just in laws? Yeah," Leslie beamed and then stood up proclaiming, "I have to grab a couple binders I have some planning to do!"

"Woah, woah, woah, Leslie. Slow down. I think planning our future children's weddings and family vacations is getting a bit ahead of ourselves…. as we do not have a family yet. Also we do not live in a caste society. Also, you should probably unpack from London first."

"Oh, yeah. I guess we have to get one of those first. I guess I've just always assumed that we would have children. I mean with a butt as cute as yours and a brain as smart as yours, those genetic traits just have be passed on," Leslie said crawling back into bed and sitting on her knees facing Ben.

"Okay, weird," Ben responded.

"My brain right now is like a circus that's leaving town in a hurry to catch a train and there's a tornado coming and the lions escaped.

"Okay, that's weirder."

"Anyways, it's been a pretty exciting week: London and Ann is pregnant, there's a rumor that Eagleton is having a little financial trouble. Tomorrow back to reality. I have slugs to take care of and angry townspeople that want to take away my dream job making my future look completely unclear. But it's nice to know that there's like this whole future ahead of us and that is pretty exciting. In the future we won't even be able to imagine what our live would be like without our kids. Though, when we're exhausted and frustrated with them we're gonna miss the past. So, I'm gonna enjoy right now with you. So, take your pants off Wyatt."

 _Second Chunce_

"So are you doing okay?" Ben finally asked his wife. He didn't really want to bring up Pawnee and Leslie being recalled. They had enjoyed the faraway and safe confines of their Parisian bubble. That bubble was about to be popped as they were about to land in Indianapolis in just a few hours.

"Yeah," even though Ben didn't say he was asking in reference to the recall Leslie knew.

"I know we've been in our own Parisian bubble this week and it was really nice. It was great. We're gonna be back in Pawnee by this evening and back to reality….I always wanted to be a city counselor and I got to be one. It didn't last as long as I would've liked and I was recalled for trying to move the city forward basically but if this year has taught me anything it's that work isn't everything. I have waffles, friends, a very cute and supportive man with a great head of hair…..that's you."

"Ah, so it's all about the hair now," Ben said as Leslie began running her hands through his hair. Ben was relieved that the person in the seat to the left of Leslie's middle seat seemed to be napping.

"Yep, like I said at my high school reunion Ben, I had the guy without the receding hairline and bald spots. Everyone noticed and was jealous."

"So what was I talking about?" Leslie said after a moment of silence.

"Life being more than work," Ben supplied.

"Oh, yeah. So, I don't know what step will be next in my career. But we are going great. I know we had decided to start trying to get pregnant around our anniversary and that's coming up soon. Things have been so chaotic lately with the merger, the recall fight, and us both losing our jobs. I have barely even had time to think about the future. But I still think we should go ahead with our plan. I'll have some more time on my hands. Now we're in a lull, a plateau so to speak, a rest stop, so this will be a good opportunity. You'll still have enough time to settle into your new job Mr. City Manager. I know we didn't accomplish everything we set out to do before we started having kids, like buy our house since everything was so chaotic. But like they say there's no time like the present and timing wise now is a really good opportunity. So what do you think?"

"Yeah. Sounds great. Really great. If you're ready then I'm….I'm ready."

"So we're really doing this?"

"Yeah, and I can't believe we just finalized these plans on an airplane next to a stranger," Leslie remarked as she smiled.

"We'll leave that detail out when we tell our future kid," Ben recommended.

 _Operation Family_

"Gotten the go ahead from my doctor, gotten of the pill, started taking prenatal vitamins, and I've started introducing myself to decaf," Leslie listed off as she checked each item on the list.

"I love checking finished tasks off of lists."

"So, um. This means we're ready to…..," Ben stammered on.

"We're ready to get started. Get started on this next project. Procreate with a purpose. Alright, that sounded better in my head."

"So what happens now?"

"Well, option one we can just proceed as normal or option two really plan things out, ovulation and stuff. How do you think we should go about this?"

"I don't know. Isn't this kind of your domain?"

"Well, I'm a planner but being so purposeful about it seems a little weird. Maybe we just proceed as normal and if nothing happens in a few months then we can revisit. Anyways most of our greatest decisions occur after we say let's screw it," Leslie said.

"That's weirdly true. We are not the type of people that "screw it". Yet whenever we do good things seem to happen. First, we start dating. Next, we throw bureaucratic caution to the wind and get back together. Then, we say screw it and I run your campaign. And now were married. So, now we're gonna say screw it one more time and start our family. It feel right," Ben said agreeing.

Ben leaned back on the couch as Leslie leaned into his embrace, her eyes never leaving his body.

"Oh, so should we say screw it now or…..?" Ben asked after noticing the look in Leslie's eyes.

"Well, tomorrow's our one year anniversary we should probably wait until then like we planned. It seems like the proper momentous occasion to kick off Procreate with a Purpose or Operation Family. What should be our plan's name?" Leslie wondered aloud.

Ben chuckled slightly at the name, "Ok, kick off tomorrow," Ben said putting his arm on the back of the couch as Leslie moved right next to him leaving no space between them.

"So this time next year we might have someone else around here," Leslie said as Ben moved his arm to Leslie's shoulder.

"Yeah, wow."

"Yeah, it's kind of huge to finally be taking this next…..jump together. It's exciting but also kind of…".

"Scary exciting," Ben said supplying the words Leslie was looking for.

"Yeah, like it's this big unknown. You don't know when it's going to happen, you know your life is going to change, it's a new experience, and it's something to look forward to even though there are a lot of unknowns and it's unprecedented territory. It's another cliff we get to jump off but we get to hold hands," Leslie explained ending her statement with words Ben had once shared via Ron one night in his dark and cold room at April and Andy's house the night she had won her election. The words had been a comfort then as Ben had said them in telling her their relationship would be okay with him going to DC. They once again seemed appropriate as they were about to jump off another cliff and towards parenthood.

Ben just smiled at Leslie understanding the sentiment and gave her a quick kiss.

"I'm just…happy I get to jump off that cliff with you," Ben stated.

"Uh, Ben stop it."

"What? Stop what?"

"Trying to seduce me."

"What?" Ben said with his signature bewildered look upon his face.

"You know exactly how to get a woman in bed, don't you," Leslie said smiling. She was putty in his hands although he didn't have to do anything particular to cause it.

"What?" Ben expressed, clearly clueless as to what she was talking about.

"Alright, babe. Let's go upstairs. We can at least have a prekick off, a pregame."

"Okay," Ben said slowly, still a bit perplexed but sure that whatever "prekick off" meant he would enjoy it.

"Uh, you're going to be such a dilf."

"Oh my god, Leslie."

 _Plan Interrupted_

"Babe how am I ever going to make this decision? I'm at a loss as in what to do. Of course, I have my pros and con list," Leslie stated flipping her giant chart over to display her list as Ben sat on the couch serving as his wife's sounding board.

"Pros:

This job is an amazing opportunity.

I'd be working for the federal government preserving National Parks.

It's the exact thing that Jennifer Barkley told me I should go after.

I love Parks and in this job I'd be taking care of so many parks, Ben. So many Parks. So many Parks. I don't know if I've communicated this enough but I really love Parks.

This is the big leagues; Liam Bonniville, Maria Peruvian, Grant Larson.

Michelle Obama said I should take the job. Michelle Obama.

I can finally get a statue of Joe Biden commissioned. He'd look great chiseled in marble.

As you can see lots of solid pros."

Leslie paused after the last pro on her list looking dreamily into the distance causing a perplexed Ben to clear his throat shaking Leslie out of her daydream.

"Alright so now for the cons list:

Cons:

I know after the recall I felt like the entire town was against me and with this merger that feeling hasn't changed. It sucks but I've accepted it. I love this town though she does not love me back. If this job offer had happened the day after the recall I would've done the unthinkable and I would've jumped at the chance. But now I'm nurturing this new town we've created and I can't abandon it.

It's in Chicago, which is not Pawnee.

We just started trying to get pregnant, like two weeks ago. I can't imagine raising our child anywhere but Pawnee.

You just started as City Manager here so we'd both be abandoning Pawnee at this critical time. I consider us Pawnee's number one power couple. By the way the Pawnee Journal also considers us Pawnee's Number One power couple in that article which I wrote for them and they did not publish.

You'd have to quit your job here and find some other job in Chicago and what if they don't like the whole "resigning in disgrace because of a sex scandal" thing?

There will be less of the hands on tasks.

Pawnee is closer to Ann Arbor than Chicago by like twenty seven minutes.

Alright those are the cons."

Leslie sighed. Her pros and cons list didn't leave her feeling any more at ease. She took the few steps that led her to the couch and she plopped down next to Ben. Ben brought his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace and brought her hand to his free hand and intertwined their fingers together.

"How am I supposed to make this decision? It's going to determine everything for the rest of our lives," Leslie stated.

"Well, first, factor me out," suggested Ben, "Yes, I just started as city manager and with the merger and everything the timing sucks. But that's how life is. Things happen when you least expect them. You just have to deal and get ready to jump if and when it feels right. Career wise, I have a background in accounting, government budgeting, campaigning, and city managing so I'll be fine. Chicago is known for it's corrupt politics so our little sex scandal will look like nothing to them. Chicago will have plenty of opportunities for me. So just cross me off of the cons list."

"Ok. But what about this family we're trying to start?" Leslie questioned. "If I take this job in Chicago we'd be living in Chicago. I could be pregnant while moving and starting a new huge job. That sounds chaotic to me. I'd be away from my mom while I was pregnant for the first time. My mom wouldn't be there to help out with the baby. While she's not the warmest she's still had a baby before, me. And she's really looking forward to having a grandkid one day. We won't know anybody in the city. We'll have no support system. This job involves a lot of travel. Chicago is the windy city. What if it just blows our baby away? Also, we're going to have really bad hair from all the wind in Chicago. We're going to have to stock up on hair gel if we move. We should talk to Tom," Leslie added.

"Okay. Those are some valid points. Not the last two about the wind although the hair one does hold a lot of truth. But it should not be a deciding factor," Ben brought up.

"When I was kid, before I had so much rejection and humiliation involving males, I always imagined raising my kids in Pawnee. They'd go sledding down Nipple Hill just like I did. Swimming in Lerpiss Creek. Although, that dream is already dead because we've since learned of all the toxic waste. Playing in the Parks I once played in and have now helped maintain and improve. Harvest Festival. Family dinners at JJ's. And now that I have you I imagine taking our kid's picture on the bench in The Smallest Park we created, take your kid to work day at city hall, camping at the Pawnee Campground," Leslie mused with a slight smile on her face of all the images floating around in her brain.

"Those are all lovely images. I remember I use to feel the same way about Partridge. I'd take my kids fishing at the Partridge Reservoir, go apple picking, have them meet Fred the Sled. Of course, once I became a failed teen mayor I couldn't wait to get out of there and never come back."

"That doesn't make me feel any better Ben."

"What I'm trying to say is that dreams change when you need them to change. I found my home with you in Pawnee."

"That was beautiful," a now crying Leslie muttered in between sobs.

"Now I might be taking you away from your home," Leslie cried out as sobs shook her body.

Ben turned his body slightly as Leslie leaned into him even more.

"No, babe. I went over a decade without a home. My point is that I slowly became intrigued with you and Pawnee and I fell in love with you both. Pawnee became my home because you became my home. My home is wherever you are," Ben said holding Leslie tighter against him.

After the tears had died down, several minutes later, Ben spoke again.

"It's pretty picturesque, raising your kids in your hometown, working 9 to 5, and never missing a little league game or ballet recital. But it's not realistic. It's not always feasible. When you were a kid you also dreamed of marrying Alf and being President and governor, and changing your community and the world for the better. That set of dreams doesn't entirely line up with the other set. But you don't have to sacrifice one set of dreams for the other set. If it's worth it we'll make it work. No matter where we live or what jobs we have. You'll be an amazing mother because you care and you put more effort into the little things and big things and mundane things than anyone else I know," Ben finished saying as he cupped her chin with his hand and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I love you and I'd never leave you for Alf," Leslie said lightening the mood while at the same time trying to convey just how much she loved her amazing supportive husband.

"I love you too and good to know I don't have any competition from Alf," Ben said returning the sentiment.

Silence returned as the two thought over their conversation. Leslie broke through the silence with a laugh, which startled Ben.

"What? What's happening?"

"I still have no idea about what I want to do."

Ben couldn't help but smile too.

"I want this new job but I want to stay in Pawnee."

"It's just so complicated. Uhh. It's like that expression "You want to eat your cake and have it to". Mmm. I should bake a cake. Cake sounds good."

"Leslie, focus" Ben said to try to get Leslie's attention away from cake. Not an easy task.

Leslie ended up making a cake. Ben even helped a bit under Leslie's guidance. While the cake was in the oven the two sat down to watch A League of Their Own. The movie always made Leslie feel inspired and maybe it could inspire her to finally make a decision.

Leslie once again rested her head on Ben's small bony shoulder and swung her legs over Ben's lap as the two enjoyed the movie, taking a brief intermission to frost the cake and then eat it.

As the credits rolled Leslie sighed and brought up something that really bummed her out but had been weighing on her mind.

"Ben, I think we should put a pause on the whole baby thing. At least until I make a decision about whether or not to take the job. When I get pregnant and we have a kid I just want the timing to be right so that we can fully enjoy and remember each moment. What do you think?"

"Okay."

"Yeah."

"Yeah, it sounds smart. Until you make this job decision and if we do move we'll have a lot of plans to make so things will be pretty crazy. We don't have to rush," Ben reassured Leslie and punctuated it with a kiss.

"Okay. It kind of sucks though."

"It does. Well, just remember we still have April and Andy to look out for and they're pretty much a fool time job. They're great practice. The other day I had to tell Andy not to stick a paper clip into an electrical outlet. I really worry about him."

"Wow. If we move to Chicago we should try to talk them into moving with us."

"There is one more thing I do worry about sometimes. What if we wait too long or have already waited too long? Time is not on our side. When I was at the dentist earlier today it seemed like every magazine had a story about infertility or women worrying that they were too old to have a baby. And then the tv was on and daytime tv is filled with the same stuff. It's just a constant stream of you're a woman and will you be able to do everything you want because time could be working against you. I even talked to Ann about it because she is my smart and wise nurse and she said that the media really makes it sound much worse than it is. Infertility isn't as common as they make it out to be. I just…. I don't want to wait until it's too late but I also think I don't want to be pregnant and stressed out from moving and taking on a big new job. I want to enjoy it."

"I hear you. But you never know what's going to happen, regardless of time. I think all you can do is hope for the best and work towards what you want to happen. If it doesn't work out then you proceed from there. And we looked at all the research about age and pregnancy and you know I'm a numbers guy and the odds are very much in our favor. Greatly in our favor. It's in the numbers babe."

"So you're okay if we put this off for a little longer?"

"Yeah, absolutely. We'll wait until the time is right."

"You're very smart and I love you. And you know I think you might be right about the odds being in our favor. I don't think we'll have too much problem getting pregnant. I was once told on a date that I have an industrial sized oven. So while my eggs might be nearing their expiration date they're in great containers."

Ben just looked super confused, "That's a lot of kitchen metaphors and um, what?"

"I went on a blind date once. He was an MRI tech and gave me an MRI and said that I had an industrial sized oven womb and I could have, what was it, oh, triplets, right off the bat," Leslie said with a laugh, "It was super creepy at the time and still is but also pretty funny, ahh triplets, that's hysterical."

Ben would be laughing to if he wasn't so disturbed by Leslie's strange date story, "She has so many of them," Ben thought to himself.

"What?" Leslie asked Ben as she noticed his pensive expression and nudged him lightly in the side.

"I was just thinking that you've dated a lot idiots and that makes me kind of sad but also happy because while they passed up on you it all led us to each other," Ben explained punctuating his words with a smile and a kiss from Leslie.

"Well, maybe we could start the whole safe sex thing tomorrow and have one last night. We don't have any condoms and since my sexy elf king of a husband is being all supportive and stuff I just really want to have sex with him."

"Okay. Let's go," Ben said standing up and offering Leslie his hand.

"See, there you go being all supportive again," Leslie said as she took Ben's hand.

 _Life Goes On_

"Oh Ben, Ann and Chris's baby is so cute. He really is cuter than all the rest of the babies I've seen in the hallways here. He has a tuff of dark hair and he's so small and his eyes are closed but all scrunched up. And he's moving his arms and legs so much. I didn't know they could do that. Oh my god, it looks like he's trying to do a decathlon," Leslie told her husband over the phone.

"Chris must be proud," Ben remarked," I'm surprised I haven't heard from Chris yet."

"I haven't even seen him yet. Apparently he was such a great coach that he's helping out in another delivery."

"Wow."

"Oh, Ben. Seeing all of these babies and holding Ann's little perfectly symmetrical and adorable super baby…I just really can't wait until we have one. When I get back to Pawnee I am really going to try to make a decision about this job so we can map out our future. Though I also talked with Ann about the labor and I'm really freaked out currently. There is excitement and terror coursing through my veins right now, I'm gonna go say goodbye to Ann and I'll call you later."

"Okay, give them my best. Bye. I love you."

"I love you too."

"Hey."

"Hey, Leslie so we need to catch up. You start," Ann suggested.

"What should I start with: The Unity Concert, should I get a perm, we could debate Saracen and Riggins, Ben, should I take the job offer, the color mauve- I think I'd like it to make a comeback, or the dress what's her name wore at that awards show?"

"First of all, mauve should stay in the 90s. Second of all, do not get a perm and third of all, we've said everything we have to say about Saracen and Riggins. Fourthly, let's catch up on the personal first-How are you and Ben?"

"We're great. Thank goodness. With the recall, merger, the town constantly hating me, us both losing out jobs, him becoming city manager, and my impending job decision it is such a relief to know my personal life is great….We started trying to get pregnant."

"Yayyyyyyyyyyy!"

"But then we stopped."

"Noooo!"

"If I take this new federal job in Chicago. We're going to moving. I'll be traveling and getting use to this new job and Ben will have to find a new job. So we just decided to put a pause on it. For now. Once I make this decision we'll decide when to start trying again."

"Well, that's smart. Trying to move while pregnant was a nightmare. Chris would barely let me pick up a pillow. It's probably just as well since Chris had to feng shui everything. But when you do get pregnant we will make sure our kids are best friends and they will get married and we can be related."

"Yayyyyyyyyy!"

 _Well, buddy…._

As Leslie listened to the pharmacist say she didn't seem to have the flu her mind was thinking a million other thoughts: Was it safe to ride with Andy? How were they going to get Chip McCapp? Did she have that horrifying illness the pharmacist was talking about? Did she have cancer? Should she look up her symptoms on web md? What dessert should she make to take to her mother's for dinner Sunday night? Did maintenance fix the rusty swing set in Ramsett Park? And then as Leslie's eyes wandered over to the left all other thoughts halted. Her eyes focused in on a pregnancy test. She was nauseous and sick to her stomach at random points throughout the day and she had no fever or other symptoms. She had almost fallen asleep earlier when she and Andy were judging the try outs for the talent show. It was boring but Leslie Knope didn't tire out from something that was boring. Her period was late, by about a week but she had attributed that to being a little irregular since going off the pill. They had start trying to get pregnant and then their baby making plans were paused but they hadn't used condoms a few times.

Leslie was very impatient and a few times they said "screw it". Leslie's exact words had been, "Ben, hurry up. You're taking too long. You know what let's just say screw it. I'm old probably nothing's going to happen. If it does we're married so whatever."

"What, are you sure? I mean I just can't get the wrapper open and your impatience is making me nervous. But I can go get some scissors."

"Ben, just get over here now!" Leslie said with very angry eyes that scared Ben very much when he was on the receiving end of them.

"Ok."

Leslie bought the pregnancy test and anxiously awaited her opportunity to take it. After locking herself inside the Chip McCapp studio bathroom Leslie embarked on the longest two minutes of her life. She thought about waiting to take the test until she was at home with Ben but if Leslie had to wait one more minute she'd burst. As Leslie waited for time to slowly tick by she thought about what she wanted the test to say. If it was negative she knew she would be disappointed. She and Ben had been on the precipice of having kids but stuff, work, had always gotten in the way. Leslie had no idea whether or not she would take the Midwest National Parks job and move to Chicago. If she was pregnant it would definitely complicate things. When the timer sounded Leslie took a deep breath and looked at the test. "Yup," the test read.

"I'm pregnant." Leslie whispered to herself. First, she felt surprise and was unsure but a smile slowly crept onto her face. Then the feeling of being overwhelmed settled in.

Her life was currently full of uncertainty, a feeling Leslie did not appreciate, and this new development added to the uncertainty. But there were feelings of hope, excitement, and contentment rising in her soul. Everything was going to be okay, as soon as she told Ben. Leslie could just imagine Ben reassuring her and how good it would feel to tell him. This was their news. This was their next challenge. Their next project. The next phase in their life. Leslie knew the moment she told Ben everything would fall into place.

"It's always nice to see the kids at the end of a long day. It really puts things into perspective," Ron said before he walked away into the dark night.

"The kids," Ben thought to himself. Two years ago he never would have expected Ron Swanson to say something like that. But Ben had seen Ron with his kids. He had seen the man's patience, pride, and small smiles directed towards his family. The Ron that was not a father, the Ron that was easily sucked into Tammy One or Two's grip seemed far removed, like it was a separate Ron that had existed decades ago when in actuality it had been less than two years. "The kids", the phrase replayed in Ben's head and everything fell into place. He was upset with his parents for not thinking about their kids. His parents had always put their arguments ahead of the family. It was how Ben had grown up and he was still dealing with it as an adult. It had always felt like every fight between his parents had slowly chipped away his family and now there was hardly anything left. His younger brother lived in Minneapolis and was married with kids and his younger sister still lived in Partridge with a family of her own. Ben had finally found a home in Pawnee and Leslie. Family was supposed to be the most important thing. Loner libertarian survivalist curmudgeon Ron saw that family was the most important thing. With the sale of the lake house another piece of Ben's childhood, of his family, was gone. The only memory he had of his family being happy and intact was at that lake house. He had assumed one day he would take his kids, his and Leslie's, to the lake house. One day had always seemed far away. They had decided to have kids, to start the process. But things had been chaotic; the recall, financial goals, losing their jobs, Leslie getting offered a huge federal job. Their future was murky as they didn't know where they would be living or what jobs they would have in a year. And then what would happen? What would get in the way next time? It seemed like there was never a good time.

"There's never a good time. There's never a good time," Ben thought to himself as he started walking again up the drive and up the steps to see his wife and share his new found revelation with her. He was still putting it altogether in his brain when he walked through the door. When Ben saw her the words started pouring out of him. He knew that once he told her it would all make sense.

"I want to start our family. I mean I know things are crazy but there's no good time and I want to do it, now." The words confidently pour out of Ben.

"Well, buddy I have some good news for you," Leslie was able to say with an all knowing smile.

A subtle but sure smile crept onto Ben's face. He knew. He just knew. It was happening. The future that once felt so far away was creeping up on them.

As his eyebrows rose in surprise Leslie's smile grew and she shook her head yes and let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in.

"You, your….you….your…..," Ben stumbled over his words in the way only "human disaster" Ben could.

"Yeah, I'm... pregnant. I'm pregnant," Leslie declared sounding more confident as she repeated the words.

She had only said the words aloud twice before, a few hours ago with Andy and earlier that day in the cramped studio bathroom as she stared at the "YUP" response on the pregnancy test and whispered the revelation, "I'm pregnant" to herself. Not wanting to take the word of a pregnancy test that gave you results in the form of "YUP" or "Nope", which Leslie had bought on impulse, she had bought another test on her way home and those results confirmed what she already knew to be true. She had then anxiously awaited Ben's arrival.

"Wow, oh my god. Good timing," Ben said letting out a small laugh at his current inability to form complete thoughts.

Leslie shared in the laugh and the two just sat on the couch of their first home together in the same room they had gotten engaged in reveling in their new and happy news as they wordlessly smiled at one another clasping each other's hands. The trance was only broken when Leslie launched herself into Ben's arms. As they held onto each other they silently willed themselves to remember everything about the moment and how perfect their life felt.

After pulling back from the hug but their hands still grasping each other's arms they smiled at each other once more and then lightly laughed at the giddy feeling that had wrapped them up and left them with the inability to formulate words.

Ben and Leslie were jumping off another cliff together holding hands. They were going into another battle together, side by side.

 _This was long, probably to long. You can tell me if it was too long. How was my timeline? I changed my timeline a few times and every time I edited my story I added more stuff. Should I have broken it up into chapters? I ended up with 20 pages in Word. Anyways, I hope it was in character, somewhat went along with your timeline, and was not a waste of your time reading. Let me know how it went!_

 _FYI the odds of a cow having triplets is 105,000 to one._


End file.
